Overwork
J. M. Rhoads
Overwork, ie, working beyond one's endurance and recuperative capacities,
may be a hazard in certain personality types engaged in open-ended
occupations. Some persons appear to lack an inner "governor" and for
various reasons ignore the commonplace signs that inform one of the need
for rest or recreation. If they are engaged in occupations that do not have
a finite workday, they may at times exceed their bodies' ability to
recover. Clusters of symptoms may then develop, some of which may mimic
serious physical ailments. Treatment depends on diagnosing the extent of
illness and eliciting the underlying causes. Correction involves enforced
rest, therapy that may vary from counseling to hospitalization and
specialized treatment, but that must include the reeducation of the person
to be aware of and make provision for his physical and emotional needs.
